title: Surgical management of radiation-associated cutaneous breast angiosarcoma.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the surgical management of radiation-associated cutaneous breast angiosarcoma with an emphasis on surgical margins and choice of reconstruction. Nine cases of angiosarcoma were identified in patients earlier treated with radiotherapy for breast cancer. Breast angiosarcoma was diagnosed a median of 5.25 years following radiotherapy. Median age at diagnosis was 60 years. Surgical treatment consisted of radical mastectomy (four cases), simple mastectomy (two cases) and wide local excision (three cases). Defect reconstruction involved three latissimus dorsi flap reconstructions and four skin grafts. Clear histological margins were achieved in all cases. Median follow-up was 81 months. Six patients were alive and disease-free at the end of the study period. Aggressive surgical resection with wide margins is essential to reduce local recurrence and improve survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Töölö Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital, P.O. Box 266, 00029 HUS, Finland. andrew.lindford@hus.fi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lindford
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Böhling
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vaalavirta
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tenhunen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jahkola
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tukiainen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006394:Hemangiosarcoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008408:Mastectomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000637:transplantation; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D013524:Surgical Flaps